Apparatus for filling receptacles with liquid or paste-like products under aseptic conditions



Nov. 24, 1970 a. P. BOBRAKOV ETAL 3,541,755

APPARATUS FOR FILLING RECEPTACLES WITH LIQUID OR PASTE-LIKE PRODUCTS UNDER ASEPTIC CONDITIONS Filed Aug. 28, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NOV. 24, 1970 p, BOBRAKOV EI'AL v 3,541,755

'APPARATUS FOR FILLING RECEPTACLES WITH LIQUID OR PASTE-LIKE PRODUCTS UNDER ASEPTIC CONDITIONS Filed Aug. 28, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I k U/ //L[/ /Y////// United States Patent APPARATUS FOR FILLING RECEPTACLES WITH LIQUID OR PASTE-LIKE PRODUCTS UNDER ASEPTIC CONDITIONS Boris Petrovich Bobrakov, Ul. Tolbukhina 6, kv. 34; Meerik Abramovich Sirota, Ul. Uritskogo 19, kv. Filipp Khaimovich Lerman, Kotovskoe shosse 22-a, kv. 44; Dmitry Vladimirovich Chumak, Ul. Zavodskaya 2, kv. 3; and Evgeny Iosifovich Skuratov, Kotovskoe shosse 22-a, kv. 28, all of Kishinev, U.S.S.R.; and Grigory Grigorievich Lukianeuko, Ul. Karla Marxa 'l-a, kv. 21, Tiraspol, U.S.S.R.

Filed Aug. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 663,683 Int. Cl. 1365b 57/00, 31/00 US. Cl. 53-59 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus is provided for filling a receptacle with liquid or paste-like products under aseptic conditions, and the apparatus comprises a mechanism for lifting and lowering the receptacle to be filled and an aseptic chamber in the form of a dispenser head against which the receptacle is brought from below by the lifting and lowering mechanism, so that the filling opening of the receptacle, fitted with a plug-like closure underlies the dispenser head. The dispenser head is provided with conduits for feeding steam and sterilized product to the receptacle and with a device for removing and replacing the closure of the receptacle brought thereagainst. The latter device for removing and replacing the closure includes a spring-biased rod which is rotatable and vertically reciprocal and which has a groove at the lower end thereof accommodating springbiased cams adapted to hold the closure of the receptacle.

The present invention relates to apparatus for filling receptacles, particularly large receptacles, with liquid or paste-like products under aseptic conditions.

An apparatus embodying the present invention can be' employed for weight-dispensing foodstuffs, as well as various aggressive and dangerous products and materials, such as chemical substances, bacteriological preparations, and so forth.

One type of known devices for filling receptacles with liquid and paste-like products comprises a hermetically sealed steam chamber with a dispenser and a closure-applying mechanism received therein, and the process of filling a receptacle is carried out according to the socalled Ball-Smith method.

In another known device, glass or tin receptacles to be filled with a product are placed inside an aseptic chamber, where they are brought toward the dispenser by means of a lifting and lowering mechanism (see U.S.S.R. Authors Certificate No. 176,512; 1964).

However, these known devices are not free from certain disadvantages, namely, their aseptic chambers are bulky and require a lot of space, while the creation of aseptic conditions involves the use of costly and complex equipment and complicated hermetization means.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which is capable of filling a receptacle of practically any volume and configuration.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus in which the receptacle is closed with an appropriate closure immediately after it has been filled with the product, with provisions being made for sealing the product from the ambient air.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in that the apparatus for filling receptacles with liquid or paste-like products under aseptic conditions includes a lifting and lowering mechanism, and an aseptic 'ice chamber, which comprises a dispenser head against which said receptacle is brought from below by means of said lifting and lowering mechanisms, so that the filling opening of said receptacle, fitted with a plug-like closure underlies said dispenser head, said dispenser head comprising a vessel closed at the top and open at the bottom thereof, the lowermost edge of said vessel being provided with an elastic gasket adapted to sealingly engage the upper surface of said receptacle around said filling opening thereof, said dispenser head being provided with conduits for feeding, respectively, steam and sterilized prod uct thereto, said dispenser head being further provided with a device for removing and replacing said closure of said receptacle brought thereagainst and means for withdrawing air from within said receptacle, as the latter is being filled with the product.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the device for removing and replacing the plug-like closure of the receptacle comprises a spring-biased rod mounted for vertical reciprocation and rotation about its longitudinal axis, said rod passing through the closed top of the vessel of the dispenser head, the lower end portion of said rod being square in cross section and having therein a groove receiving a plurality of spring-biased cam members adapted to hold the closure of the receptacle.

It may be also found advisable to provide the conduit for feeding the sterilized product with a three-way control valve of adjustable flow capacity, the operation of said valve being controlled by the electronic circuit of straintype scales of which the receptacle-supporting platform is operatively connected with the mechanism for lifting and lowering the receptacle.

The means for withdrawing air from the receptacle being filled may comprise an air intake tube connected to the piston of a slide valve mechanism.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention may be better understood from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof, due reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagramatic view of an apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a structural view of the dispenser head of a apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows the lower portion of the device for removing and replacing the plug-like closure of a receptacle being filled; and

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the rod of the device shown in FIG. 3.

An apparatus for filling receptacles with liquid or pastelike products under aseptic conditions, embodying the present invention, comprises an aseptic chamber 1 (FIG. 1), a lifting and lowering mechanism 2 and an automatic control assembly 3 including control valves with their actuating mechanisms.

The aseptic chamber 1 of capacity up to one litre is positioned above a receptacle 4 to be filled with a product and comprises a dispenser head in the form of an inverted (i.e., open at the bottom and closed at the top) vessel suspended on links 5 from a bracket 6 (FIG. 2), the lower portions 7 of the vessel diverging conically. The vessel has a groove 8 extending around the periphery of the lower end face thereof, with an elastic member 9, e.g., a rubber gasket partly received within this groove. The gasket 9 is meant to sealingly engage the upper surface of the receptacle 4 about the filling opening thereof and thus to seal off the chamber 1, while the latter and the receptacle 4 are being sterilized and also While the receptacle is being filled with the product.

The dispenser head (the vessel) 1 has conduits 10 and 11 connected thereto for feeding, respectively, steam and the sterilized product; it is also provided with a device 12 for removing and replacing the plug-like closure of the receptacle, as well as with a device for withdrawing air from inside the receptacle 4, while the latter is being filled with the product.

The device 12 for removing and replacing the plug-like closure of the receptacle 4 comprises a rod 14 passing through the closed top of the vessel. The rod 14 is externally threaded to engage the internal thread of a springbiased nut 20 held against rotation. The lower end portion 15 of the rod 14 is square in cross section and has therein a groove receiving two spring-biased cam members 17 adapted to hold the closure on the rod 14. Rotation of the rod 14 is effected from a worm gear couple 18 mounted within the housing 19, through a key member received Within a keyway provided in the rod 14. When the rod 14 is thus rotated in opposite directions, its engagement with the nut 20 brings about its vertical reciprocation. The area where the rod 14 passes through the closed top of the vessel 1 is sealed hermetically by means of an elastic seal 21.

A device 13 for withdrawing air from the receptacle 4 comprises a cylinder 22 mounted on the vessel 1 and a piston 23 slidably received within this cylinder, the piston 23 constituting a part of a slide valve mechanism of which the air intake tube is the rod 24 of this piston 23. The cylinder 22 has two connections 25, 26 for the supply of steam thereto.

An opening made in the air intake tube 24 below the piston 23 is meant for passage of the air to the hollow space 27 wherefrom air is driven away via a conduit 28 provided with a hydraulic closure (not shown).

The mechanism 2 for lifting and lowering the receptacle 4 (FIG. 1) comprises a worm gear couple operatively connected to an electric motor 29. The worm wheel of the couple is internally threaded to receive a lifting screw 30. Mounted on the upper end portion of the lifting screw 30 is the lower platform 31 of the strain-type weighing scales 32. The platform 31 carries the elastic load-receiving members 33 having strain gauges 34 connected thereto. The load-receiving members 33 support the upper platform 35 of the scales.

The internal space of the scales 32 is sealed off by a hydraulic closure 36. The upper platform 35 is centered in relation to the lower platform 31 by means of a rod 37 passing through a ball-type guide member.

Mounted in the conduit 11 for feeding the sterilized product is a three-way valve 38 (FIG. 1) of adjustable flow capacity, the operation of the valve 38 being automatically controlled by the electronic circuit of the straintype scales 32.

The valve 38 is used for controlling both rough and fine weight-dispensing of the product.

In case the apparatus embodying the present invention is used for filling each receptacle to its full volume (instead of weight-dispensing), the apparatus can do without the scales 32, but can have a pressure gauge (not shown) mounted in the product feeding conduit 11.

The above described apparatus operates, as follows.

A receptacle, e.g., a barrel 4, pre-treated for receiving the product is placed upon the upper platform 35 of the scales, below the dispensing head 1. When the barrel 4 is placed upon the platform 35, an electric signal is gen erated (in any known manner), whereby the electric motor 29 of the lifting and lowering mechanism 2 is energized, and the latter lifts the barrel 4 till its upper face engages the elastic gasket 9 of the lower end face of the vessel 1 (FIG. 2).

When the barrel 4 is being thus brought against the vessel 1, the rod 14 is in its lowered position. In case the square-shaped lower end portion of the rod 14 does not coincide properly with the square-shaped socket 41 in the plug-like closure 39 (FIG. 3) of the barrel 4, the rod 14 is raised by the upgoing barrel, together with the spring-biased driving nut 20.

After the barrel 4 has engaged the vessel 1 with a desired contact pressure, the electric motor 29 is auto- 4 matically de-energized and the electric motor 40 is energized to actuate the rod 14. Simultaneously, the indicating mechanism of the scales is automatically brought to a zero mark.

The rod 14 starts rotating and simultaneously is lowering, whereby the lower end portion 15 of the rod aligns properly with the socket 41 of the closure 39, and the nut 20 goes down under the action of its spring, bringing down the rod 14, till the bottom end face of the rod engages the bottom of the socket 41.

The spring-biased cams 17 of the lower end portion 15 of the rod 14 bear against the basic walls of the socket 41 of the closure 39, and thus the closure 39 is held on the rod 14 for movement therewith. The rod 14 starts unscrewing the closure 39 from the threaded opening in the barrel 4 and then lifts the closure, thus clearing the opening. When the rod 14 reaches its topmost position, its driving motor 40 is automatically deenergized, and simultaneously live steam is admitted through the conduit 10 to sterilize the vessel 1 and the receptacle 4. After the sterilization is completed, the feeding of steam is cut off, and the product to be dispensed is fed through the conduit 11. Simultaneously with the commencement of the dispensing, the air intake tube 24 is projected into the filling opening of the barrel 4 to draw out air.

The filling of the barrel is carried out in two stages: first to 97 percent by weight of the product is roughly dispensed, then fine dispensing takes place, till all 100 percent predetermined weight of the product is introduced into the barrel. This is effected by switching over the three-way valve from its greater flow capacity to the lower one. After the pre-determined quantity of the product has been dispensed, this fact is established by the strain gauges 34 mounted on the elastic members 33 of the strain-type scales 32, and the dispensing of the product ceases.

After the dispensing is over, the air intake tube 24 is withdrawn from the filling opening of the barrel and driven to its idle topmost position. 7

Then the electric motor is energized to lower the rod 14. The rod lowers and rotates to screw back the closure 39. The motor is automatically de-energized, when the closure is tightened with a desired torque.

To remove the leftovers of the product from the air intake tube 24 the latter is flushed with steam.

Then steam is introduced through the conduit 10 to flush the vessel 1, i.e., to remove any remaining product therefrom.

After the flushing is completed, the lifting and lowering mechanism 2 lowers the barrel. The closure 39 lowers together with the barrel, and the weight of the latter drives the closure off the square and portion 15 of the rod 14. The operating cycle is now completed.

Several apparatuses embodying the present invention should be operated simultaneously to insure continuous production process and achieve maximum efficiency, the timing of their operating cycles being staggered acc0rdingly.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment thereof, various modifications may take place without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as persons competent in the art will easily understand.

Such modifications are to be considered as falling within the scope of the invention, set forth in the claims to follow.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for filling a receptacle with liquid or paste-like products under aseptic conditions, said apparatus comprising a mechanism for lifting and lowering said receptacle to be filled and an aseptic chamber in the form of a dispenser head against which said receptacle is brought from below by means of said lifting and lowering mechanism, so that the filling opening of said receptacle, fitted with a plug-like closure underlies said dispenser head, said dispenser head comprising a vessel closed at the top and open at the bottom thereof, the lowermost edge of said vessel including an elastic gasket adapted to sealingly engage atop the upper surface of said receptacle around said filling opening thereof without encircling said receptacle, said dispenser head including conduits for feeding, respectively, steam and sterilized product to said receptacle, said dispenser head further including means for removing and replacing said closure of the receptacle brought thereagainst, and means for withdrawing air from within said receptacle as the latter is being filled with the product, said means for removing and replacing said closure of said receptacle comprising a spring-biased rod passing through the closed top of said vessel, said rod being mounted for vertical reciprocation and rotation about its longitudinal axis, the lower end portion of said rod being square in cross section and having a groove therein, and spring-biased cams in said groove and adapted to hold said closure of the receptacle.

2. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, comprising a three-way valve mounted in said conduit for feeding the product to said vessel, said valve having adjustable flow capacity, and strain-type scale means including a receptacle-supporting platform operatively connected with said mechanism for lifting and lowering the receptacle, said strain-type scale means being coupled to and controlling said valve.

3. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, in which said means for withdrawing air from within said receptacle comprises a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, and an air intake tube associated with the piston.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 173,093 2/1876 Wells 5388 2,032,862 3/1936 Wilkins 5388 X 2,761,603 9/1956 Fairchild 53112 2,874,523 2/1959 Ryan 5388 X 2,990,665 7/1961 Magnuson 5359 X 3,385,022 5/1968 Anderson 5388 X TRAVIS S. McGEHEE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 53109, 112 

